Archive for 2021

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart, Dollar General and Wal-Mart around the familiar red kettle tomorrow, and then every Friday and Saturday through Christmas Eve. Counter kettles will also be located at various locations throughout the community. The kettles are the primary way funds are raised locally to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. For those who do not want to handle cash, you can donate digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo at any Red Kettle across the country. You can also give any amount by texting “KETTLES” to 51555. Every donation helps hope march on for those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given. The Salvation Army continues doing the “most good” around the country. In 2021, The Salvation Army was ranked No. 2 on the list of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. If you would like to volunteer to ring the famous Salvation Army bell, please call Susie at 729-6771 or 247-7099. You can also call the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit office at 729-8163. Don’t forget the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Dent County Toy Drive signups will be Tuesday, November 30th and Thursday, December 2nd from 3:30 to 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road.

Businesses or organizations still have to sign up to be a part of the “Light up the Park 2021” at the Salem City Park starting the night of December 4th and lasting until December 31st. Contact Melissa DuBois at 729-6290 or e-mail her at salemparks@salemmo.com to reserve your spot. The lights and displays will go on nightly at dusk and remain on until late in the night. Those who want to participate must have their display set up by Friday, December 3rd.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their November meeting Tuesday night at 6:00 in the hospital library. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of October, followed by the Chief of Nursing Report with Ashley Sullins and a COVID-19 update. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards will give the hospital foundation report as well as the marketing and community perception report. In old business, Lucas will give a report on the Cerner conversion. In new business, the election filing dates for the hospital board will be set, a CMS COVID-19 vaccination update will be provided, the December meeting date and time will be set, and there will be a review of any purchases made or that need to be made since the last meeting. The board may vote to go into closed session. The SMDH Board meeting Tuesday night is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 6:00 in City Hall Council Chambers. After the roll call, the minutes of the special Board of Aldermen meeting from November 12th will be reviewed. The introduction and reading of bills will include Resolution #34-2021 authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement between the City of Salem and Energy Solutions Professionals, LLC for the HVAC Maintenance projects; and Resolution #35-2021 authorizing the mayor to execute and agreement between the city and the Department of Social Services for the low-income household water assistance program. The board will discuss Bill #3495 that would create an ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign and execute task order #12 pertaining to an agreement between the city and C.M. Archer Group, P.C. dated February 3rd, 2020, for engineering design services related to water well #9 and elevated storage tank. City Administrator Ray Waldon, Mayor Kim Steelman, Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge, Public Works Director Mark Nash, and Parks and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois will address the board before any alderman reports. Bids will also be discussed about a new skid steer for the city and in new and miscellaneous business, the aldermen will address a street closure for the 2021 Santa Dash. The Board may then vote to go into closed session before adjourning. The meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight at 6:00 is open to the public.

More Missourians are expected to travel and gather together this year for much larger Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations after a quieter holiday season in 2020 because of COVID-19. State Fire Marshal Tim Bean is advising folks to reduce the risk of fires as Thanksgiving begins a five-week period of elevated fire hazards, with the three tops days of the year for cooking fires all occurring between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas and Christmas Eve. Also with the holidays comes another fire risk: candles. From 2015-19, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 7,400 fires started by candles. These fires caused an annual average of 90 civilian deaths. The peak days for candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve. Fire Marshal Bean reminds everyone to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors along with fire extinguishers in advance of the holidays and entertaining to make sure they are working properly. Installing smoke alarms reduces the chance of dying in a fire by more than one-half.

At the SCA Choral Festival held Saturday at the Mountain Grove High School, The Salem Chamber Singers took 1st place in the SCA Conference under the direction of Elaine Russell. The Mountain Grove Women’s Choir and the Willow Springs Concert Choir. Way to go Tigers!

An accident happened in Texas County Friday morning at 11:30 on Route K about five miles south of Summerville that took the life of a 16-year-old female. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Jeep Cherokee driven southbound by a 16-year-old female juvenile from Summersville, went off the right side of the roadway and overturned, ejecting the girl from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead by Texas County Coroner Marie Lasater at 1:00 that afternoon. Her body was taken to the Bradford Funeral Home in Summersville. The 16-year-old was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Jeep Cherokee sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Gentleman Jim’s.

An accident occurred Friday evening at 7:30 in Dent County on Route H about four miles west of the Salem City limits. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu driven by 22-year-old Matthew Lowrance of Salem, was traveling westbound and fell asleep. The Chevrolet ran off the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned. Lowrance suffered moderate injuries and was transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by the Salem Memorial Ambulance. He was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday night at the Salem High School Library. At the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed discussed the recent tin gym meeting in which the next planning stages were discussed. She also discussed the current COVID numbers affecting the district. Enrollment for each school in November was given indicating there were 239 students at William Lynch, 323 at the Upper Elementary School, 256 at the Salem Middle School and 597 at the Salem High School. It was also reported there were 12 students attending virtually at the middle school and 38 at the high school. There was a discussion on the vaping and vandalism problem at the high school in the bathrooms and how the school is going about correcting the issue. In new business, the board approved to let bids for a new high school gym floor and to revise the school calendar setting the seniors last day as May 13th and to set graduation for May 20th at 7:00 PM. The motion to set the board election filing dates for December 7th through the 28th was approved by the board as well as the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan, also known as the SRCSP, with no revisions. In closed session, the board approved the hiring of Dr. Nathan Wills as the next assistant superintendent and to give him a two-year contract beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. He will be replacing John Smith who will be retiring. Dr. Reed also discussed a personnel issue in closed session before the meeting was adjourned.

The Salem Area Arts Council is offering a Barn Quilt class on Monday and Tuesday, November 29th and 30th from 9:00 in the morning until noon at the Creative Arts Center. Tana Kettner and Terrie Welch will be the instructors and the cost is $55 per person which includes all the supplies to take home a 2-foot by 2-foot plywood painted barn quilt. What a unique Christmas gift to give! This class is most appropriate for older children to adults and no experience is necessary. You can register for the class at the Salem ONCRC lobby from 9:00 until 4:00 daily, on the Salem Arts Council Facebook page or by e-mailing the arts council at salemartscouncil@outlook.com. People can also get a $25 gift certificate for any Creative Arts Center events that would make a great gift! For more information, call 247-0651 or 247-5306.

The “Honoring Our Heroes Marathon” Pasta Dinner special speakers are being livestreamed this evening by KSMO Media on the Facebook Live@heroesmarathon at 5:30 from the Salem Community Center@the Armory. The first quest speaker for the evening is Mark Howard, a football coach and teacher at Salem High School. Howard completed an Ironman last month and a year ago finished his first marathon at Heroes Marathon. Next is David Dawsey who is an ambassador for Mission 22. Dawsey has served over 15 years in the United States Army and a deployment in Afghanistan. He is currently a staff sergeant with the 14th Military Police Brigade. Dawsey has completed the Heroes Marathon three times while carrying the American Flag. The last speaker will be Representative Bill Hardwick of Missouri for part of Pulaski County and Fort Leonard Wood. Hardwick has an extensive military background and currently serves in the Missouri Army National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel. This is the 6th annual Honoring Our Heroes Marathon. The marathon takes place Saturday morning at the Dent County Commons starting at 7:00 and finishes at the Rolla Lions Club Park.

The Dent County Toy Drive & Salvation Army Angel Tree Sign Ups are happening on Tuesday November 30th and Thursday December 2nd at the Salem Community Center at the Armory located at 1200 west Rolla Road in Salem. Sign up time is from 3:30 to 5:30. Parents or Guardians of Dent County children must bring proof of child’s age, proof of residency – utility bill, birth certificate, and report card. The child must live with the adult that signs up. Masks are required at time of registration and no children are allowed at the time of the signups.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Parade of Lights will be held December 4th at 5:30 PM using the normal parade route which is Franklin and Grand, to MacArthur heading north to 4th Street, then downtown to the courthouse square. The theme of the parade is “A Storybook Christmas.” Grand Marshall this year is Jann Craig, and Sinks Pharmacy is our parade winner’s sponsor. They will be providing the commercial and non-commercial first place awards as well as horsemanship prize money. To get an entry for, stop by the chamber office in the Crossroads Shopping Center 1136 South Main Street, call 729-6900 or e-mail chamber@salemmo.com. Your lineup position will be assigned after your entry form has been submitted.

An accident occurred Thursday afternoon at 2:00 in Crawford County on Highway 8 about two miles east of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 1984 Chevrolet C10 driven by 30-year-old Robert Wilkins of Steelville, was travelling eastbound and failed to negotiate a curve, attempting to avoid a vehicle that was entering traffic. The Chevrolet traveled off the roadway and struck an embankment. Wilkins suffered minor injuries and is seeking treatment on his own. He was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.

Open enrollment for Medicare Part D continues and will last through December 7th. This is the time to review your current medication plan to make sure you are on the most cost-efficient plan. Prescription plans can change, and co-pays can increase. The Community Options & Services team at Aging Best is well versed in Medicare. Aging Best is unbiased and does not work for or represent any insurance company. Their goal is to find the best possible plan for you. Aging Best’s specialists are available to answer any questions you may have. In addition to assistance with Medicare Part D, they can assess eligibility for other money saving programs. Call 1-800-369-5211 to schedule an appointment with a specialist.